Grand National 2026: I Am Maximus and Nick Rockett Lead the Field

Willie Mullins’ stable has dominated the latest confirmations for Saturday’s Grand National, with I Am Maximus and Nick Rockett securing top positions. The pair, who claimed victory in 2024 and 2025 respectively, now carry the highest weight for the 2026 race at Aintree. I Am Maximus, owned by JP McManus, won by a margin of seven and a half lengths in 2024, while Nick Rockett finished two and a half lengths behind the eventual champion, Patrick Mullins’ son.

Final Field and Weight Adjustments

With 49 horses still in contention, the final lineup will include 34 runners once the official field and reserves are announced on Wednesday. McManus, aiming for his fourth Grand National triumph, has additional hopefuls like Iroko and Jagwar, both under the care of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero. Johnny, who also remains in the race after withdrawals at the five-day stage, adds to the mix.

Historical Significance and Rivalries

I Am Maximus seeks to follow in the footsteps of Red Rum, the only horse before him to carry top weight to victory in the 1970s. Nick Rockett, meanwhile, is targeting a repeat of Tiger Roll’s consecutive wins in 2018 and 2019, a feat previously achieved by Red Rum.

Withdrawals and Remaining Entries

Three horses—L’Homme Presse, French Dynamite, and Now Is The Hour—were withdrawn on Monday, along with others below the weight limit. Mullins’ dominance continues, with nine of his horses guaranteed to compete. Among them are last year’s third-place finisher Grangeclare West, Spanish Harlem, Lecky Watson, and Champ Kiely.

Gordon Elliott’s stable includes five entries, with Gerri Colombe, Firefox, and Favori De Champdou (last year’s beaten favorite in the Cross Country Chase) positioned near the top of the weights. Pied Piper, another of Elliott’s horses, is currently 35th and could join the race if one more withdrawal occurs. The Ben Pauling-trained Twig is the sole guaranteed entry from the final confirmed list, though Spillane’s Tower has retained his place despite his owner’s statement to RTE about competing in Thursday’s Aintree Bowl.

Firefox is also entered in Friday’s Topham race, which will be contested over the Grand National course. Henry de Bromhead, who triumphed in 2021 with Rachael Blackmore and Minella Times, now has Monty’s Star and Gorgeous Tom in the field. Gavin Cromwell’s Perceval Legallois, a last-year faller, and the Cheltenham Festival winner Final Orders are also set to run. Dan Skelton will compete with Panic Attack, as he nears the UK trainers’ championship.

The Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies-trained Beauport will carry Bryan and Philippa Burrough’s colors, a legacy tied to Jenny Pitman, who became the first female trainer to win the Grand National in 1983. Nigel’s previous victories in 1998 and 2022 are highlighted, with Top of the Bill joining the field after Monday’s withdrawals. Paul Nicholls, the 14-time British champion trainer, has no entries, and Nicky Henderson, yet to claim a National title, is likely without runners, with Hyland currently ranked 41st.

Grand National 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, 11 April, at 16:00 BST. Live commentary and reaction will be available on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds, with real-time updates on the BBC Sport website and app. 5 Sports Extra will broadcast Friday’s races from 14:00 to 16:15 BST.

Spillane’s Tower has maintained his entry at this stage despite his owner telling RTE on Sunday he is an intended runner in Thursday’s Aintree Bowl instead.